Russia's Supreme Court Overturns License Revocation, Setting Precedent in Drunk Driving Case
Russia's Supreme Court has made a significant ruling, overturning a driver's license revocation and setting a precedent for future cases. The decision was based on procedural errors in an intoxication assessment, with the court deeming the examination results inadmissible.
In December 2022, a driver from the Vologda region was initially found to be drunk behind the wheel. However, the medical examination conducted was flawed. Instead of an addiction specialist, a psychiatrist performed the test, which is against the law. Furthermore, the psychiatrist's certification was from an unaccredited institution, raising questions about their qualifications.
The Supreme Court's decision highlighted these procedural errors. The court annulled the administrative fine of 30,000 rubles imposed on the driver and ruled that the license revocation must be reversed. The driver's license was ordered to be returned, and the court set a precedent for lower courts to verify the qualifications of the examining physician in similar cases.
The Supreme Court's ruling underscores the importance of adhering to procedural guidelines in intoxication assessments. It sends a clear message to lower courts to ensure the qualifications of examining physicians, potentially preventing similar cases in the future.
